Questionnaire for the Member States on
Experiences, Success Factors, Risks and Challenges
with Regard to Objective and Themes of UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD)

I. Introduction

1. This Questionnaire has been prepared in response to the decisions of the First Preparatory Committee Meeting (1st Prepcom) held on 17-18 May 2010 which invites the Member States to contribute to the preparatory process, inter-alia, on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks. Contributions and information collected will lead to the preparation of a Synthesis Report which will be discussed at the first intersessional meeting scheduled to take place on 10-11 January 2011.
II. Objective and Themes of UNCSD

2. UNCSD is being organized in pursuance of General Assembly Resolution 64/236. The Conference will take place in Brazil in 2012 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg

3. The objective of the Conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and addressing new and emerging challenges. To this end, the focus is on two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development.

III. Questionnaires for Providing Contributions

4. Separate questionnaires have been prepared for the objective and two themes of the Conference (see Attachments A-E). A list of these questionnaires is provided below.

Ø Questionnaire A: Renewing political commitment for sustainable development

Ø Questionnaire B: Assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development

Ø Questionnaire C: Addressing new and emerging challenges

Ø Questionnaire D: Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication

Each questionnaire is divided into two parts. The first part provides a brief introduction with regard to current thinking on the issues embedded in each objective and theme, while questions for which contributions are sought are presented in part 2. These questions are grouped under experiences, success factors, challenges and risks.

IV. Process for Submitting Contributions

5. There are two ways of submitting contributions, on-line or by email:

Ø Online:Questionnaires will be posted on the UNCSD website in a writeable form. Focal points can request a secure password from the secretariat (UNCSD2012@un.org). Stakeholder will be able to enter information on their secure location, submit completed portions and attachments in real time, while saving incomplete work for later submission.

Ø By email:The questionnaires can be downloaded from the website or obtained electronically from the secretariat (UNCSD2012@un.org), and completed offline. They can be submitted, together with relevant attachments, by e-mail to UNCSD2012@un.org, with a copy to Mr. Arthur de la Cruz: (delacruza@un.org).

6. In addition to solicited inputs through the questionnaires for the preparation of Synthesis Report, the Member States are invited to submit additional material on case studies, best practices, lessons learned, assessments made, specific programmes/ projects implemented, institutions developed which are relevant to the objective and themes of the conference. This information can be submitted electronically, as pdf attachments or weblinks (urls). Electronic copies can be sent to UNCSD2012@un.org, with a copy to delacruza@un.org. If electronic copies are not available, hard copies can be sent by mail to: Mr Arthur de La Cruz, Division for Sustainable Development, Two UN Plaza, 22nd Floor, Room DC2-2200, New York, NY 10017, USA, or by fax: +(1-212) 963-1267.

V. Deadlines for Submission of Inputs through Questionnaires

7. The deadline for the submission of questionnaires is 31 October 2010. All submissions received by that date, together with supporting materials, will be posted on the UNCSD website as requested by the Preparatory Committee.

8. To streamline the process of preparing the Synthesis Report to the 1st intersessional and 2nd Prepcom meetings, the following schedule and deadlines have been established:

Ø 10 September 2010: Final questionnaires posted on the website and placed in e-room

Ø 30 September 2010: Reminder sent to all Stakeholders to alert them of the deadline for submission of inputs

Ø 31 October 2010: Final deadline for contributions through questionnaires

Ø 1December 2010: Slot date for submission of Synthesis Report for Publication; advance copies posted on website and circulated to all stakeholders.

VI. Information Management System

9. In the UNCSD preparatory process, the information management system established by the Secretariat seeks to accomplish two purposes. First, it creates a structure through which all Stakeholders, including those designated by the Prepcom, can provide their contributions in a transparent, coordinated, and organized manner. Second, it seeks to create a structure through which all relevant institutions in the UN system can participate effectively during the process of Report preparation.

10. Separate pages will be established in the information management system for every Member State. The information on the page would be publicly available. Steps will be taken to develop a collaborative management system for the relevant pages, including the assignment of unique passwords to the respective Stakeholders for secured access and webpage management.

VII. Essential Background Materials

11. The following have been placed on the UNCSD website to assist Stakeholders in providing their contributions and completing the Questionnaires:

Questionnaire on
Renewing political commitment for sustainable development

I. Introduction

The objective of UNCSD is to renew political support for sustainable development, assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and addressing new and emerging challenges.

The issue of renewed political commitment will need to be addressed in the longer term context of how agreement among governments and other stakeholders at UNCSD could help accelerate progress towards, inter alia: (i) the demographic goal of stabilizing the global population; (ii) the developmental goal of extending the benefits of development equitably to all segments of global society; and (iii) the decoupling goal of ensuring that the use of materials and generation of wastes is within the regenerative and absorptive capacities of the planet.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to the UNCSD objective ?Renewing Political Commitment to Sustainable Development? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.
Experiences

1. Are there objective ways of measuring political commitment? What are the relevant indicators? Which indicators are most useful from your perspective? (e.g., New legislation enacted, Policy announcements, Budgetary allocation and support, Prominence of relevant institutions, Level of media interest, etc.)

Yes.

Relevant indicators (budgetary allocations, national reference frameworks, including the Accelerated Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, the National Agenda 21; the National Plan on Environment for Sustainable Development; the Rural Development Strategy?) and legislative measures (signature and ratification of international legal instruments, the law on decentralization, the law on natural resources management, the rural code?) are used.

The most useful indicators are the allocation of resources, new legislation (integrating climate change into policies and strategies), media enthusiasm for environmental questions.

2. Based if possible on these indicators, how would you evaluate the national government?s political commitment today to sustainable development compared to 1992? How would you evaluate the political commitment of the international community compared to 1992?

Evaluation of the Government?s political commitment: budgetary expenditure over the past five years.

Evaluation of the international community?s political commitment: weak response in terms of financial resources to implement the Rio commitments.

Success Factors

3. What actions have been introduced in your country to strengthen political support for sustainable development?

Elaboration of the Medium-term Expenditure Framework;

Elaboration and implementation of the Ten-year Education Development Plan and the Health Development Plan;

The law on environmental management, 1998;

The forestry law, 2004;

The mining code, 2006;

The electricity code, 2004;

The law on administrative reform (law No. 2006-25 of 24 July 2006 amending law No. 2002-012 of 11 June 2002 which identifies the basic principles of self-administration for the regions, départements and communes, as well as their spheres of action and resources;

The ordinance on the institutionalization of environmental impact studies;

The water code;

The rural code; and

Law No. 98-007 on the hunting and protection of wildlife.

4. Are there specific sectors or areas (e.g., water, energy, biodiversity, other) where national political commitment to achieve sustainable development goals has been especially strong? If so, what factors explain that commitment?

Yes, there are sectors where political commitment has been strong:

The water sector, with the adoption of Integrated Water Resources Management;

Combating poverty: adoption and implementation of the Accelerated Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy;

Protected areas: increase in the total amount of protected area to more than 10 per cent;

Elaboration and implementation of the Rural Development Strategy with regard to water, agriculture, the environment and livestock, as a tool for implementing the Medium-term Expenditure Framework; and

The launching of the National Reference Programme on Access to Energy Services.

5. What examples or experiences from other areas demonstrate how political support for critical issues was enhanced (e.g., MDGs, climate change)? How could they be applied to SD?

Food security: creation of the High Authority for Food Security; establishment of the National Machinery for the Prevention and Management of Food Shortages; development of National and Regional Multirisk Contingency Plans and Contingency Plans for National Disaster Risk Reduction;

Climate change: integration of climate change into the reference documents.

Challenges

6. Looking forward to the next 10 years, what are your government?s highest priorities for accelerating progress towards sustainable development?

The top priorities of the Government are:

To draw up a national strategy for sustainable development;

To review strategies and programmes relating to the three post-Rio conventions;

To sign, ratify and implement the protocols, especially the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization, and the Protocol on Biosafety;

To continue implementation of the ten-year programmes in the education, health and renewable energy sectors;

To introduce climate change in the reference documents; and

To draw up and implement the National Action Plan for Integrated Water Resources Management.

7. How can international cooperation strengthen support for sustainable development? What are your expectations for UNCSD in this regard?

Support of the international community, both financial and technical (capacity-building, equipment, transfer of technology);

Within the framework of UNCSD, mobilization of new and additional funding for the implementation of national sustainable development strategies, capacity-building and transfer of technology.

Risks
8. Among your country?s senior national policy makers, would you say the predominant view of the three pillars of sustainable development is that: ____there are difficult trade-offs among them? _Yes___ they are strongly complementary? Please briefly elaborate on your answer.

The three pillars of sustainable development are priorities for the State and are complementary, as is evidenced by the adoption of the law instituting environmental impact studies.

Attachment B

Questionnaire on
Assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development

I. Introduction

1. Agenda 21 (A21) is a comprehensive and detailed programme for sustainable development, adopted by consensus at UNCED in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. JPOI was adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in 2002. It builds upon A21 by concentrating attention on implementation, especially by introducing additional ways of reducing fragmentation and integrating all three dimensions of sustainable development into policy clusters, which in turn laid the foundation for the subsequent programme of work of the CSD.

2. An important, and perhaps the core, framework for assessing progress is the extent to which economic, social, and environmental goals (the ?three pillars? of sustainable development) begin to converge. Indeed, the consistent message of sustainable development is that these represent not three separate goals but a single integrated one. The goal, and indeed the ultimate test, of sustainable development is the convergence among the three trajectories of economic Growth, social development, and environmental protection. In this regard, UNCSD provides an important opportunity to assess what has worked, and what has not.

3. Some information on trends is available from the history of national reporting on sustainable development, including for the Commission on Sustainable Development and in various Trends in Sustainable Development reports on the DSD website [1]. On poverty and the social pillar in particular, information on MDG indicators has been tracked since 1990 and has been described in detail in the Secretary-General?s report for the high-level event on the MDGs to take place in September 2010. [2]

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to GA Resolution 64/236?s call for ?assessing the progress to date and remaining gaps in implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

Experiences

1. What indicators or information on sustainable development have proven to be most useful for assessing gaps and progress towards sustainable development? Please rank in order of importance 1 = most important.. Please also attach or provide a link to relevant statistical databases.

¨ 4-information-related indicators (e.g., development of analytical and assessment tools, collection of data, investment in research)

¨ Other (please specify)

3. Based as far as possible on these indicators, please provide an assessment of the progress made towards sustainable development over the past 18 years (1992-2010), (a) at the level of your country (where applicable) and (b) globally. Please attach any relevant technical studies or policy analyses. For each input, kindly provide the original article or url, and enter a short abstract.

Success Factors

4. What factors explain progress in implementation? Please rank in order of importance.

¨ 1-financial support from international sources

¨ 2-use of integrated strategies

¨ 3-investment in technical and institutional capacity

¨ 4-generalized economic Growth and prosperity

¨ Other; please specify: _________________________________________

5. Has your government introduced integrated planning and decision making for sustainable development? If so, under what title (NSDS, PRSP, Five Year Plan, NCS or NEAP, other)? What are the lessons from this experience?

Yes: the Accelerated Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy.

Lessons learned: synergy between the Accelerated Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy and the sectoral strategies; matching of expenses and financial resources; too little attention paid to the climate change dimension.

6. Are there examples of strong public-private partnerships for sustainable development in your country? How have these been promoted?

9. What steps need to be taken to address these barriers in an effort to bridge the implementation gaps?

Accelerating development;

Building the data-generating capacity of institutions;

Developing databases and improving their accessibility.

10. What are the main difficulties experienced in promoting integrated planning and decision-making?

11. What further actions could be taken to promote effective voluntary actions and partnerships?

Risks

12. What are the risks to sustained progress towards convergence among the 3 pillars of sustainable development?

Not attaching the same importance to each of the three pillars of sustainable development.

Attachment C
Questionnaire on
Addressing new and emerging challenges
I. Introduction
Although there is no such thing as a definitive list of ?new and emerging challenges?, the following are widely agreed to be significant ones:

Ø Climate change, as new evidence has emerged to suggest that the danger is a more imminent one than previously thought

Ø Rising water scarcity and increased desertification

Ø The unfolding of the financial crisis in developed countries, and its global transmission through financial markets as well as through global recession

Ø Other environmental trends that have worsened more rapidly than anticipated, including concerns that some ?planetary boundaries? have been exceeded, especially biodiversity

Ø Degradation of marine ecosystems

Ø Inefficient and wasteful patterns of consumption and production, and

Ø A succession of disasters.

All countries face these challenges, but they differ widely in their ability to cope with the risks and shocks inherent in them. Challenges have been exacerbated in developing countries by poverty, competition for scarce resources, the rapid pace of rural/urban migration, and the concomitant challenges to provide food, infrastructure and access to basic health, water and energy services.

The sustainable development challenge posed by climate change illustrates well the importance of a holistic response from the international community.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions and inputs on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to GA Resolution 64/236?s call for ?Addressing new and emerging challenges? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.
Experiences

1. What five new and emerging challenges are likely to affect most significantly your country?s prospects for sustainable development in the coming decade? Please rank in order of importance.

Ø1-rising water scarcity and increased desertification;

2-climate change, as new evidence has emerged to suggest that the danger is a more imminent one than previously thought;

3-a succession of disasters;

Ø4-energy crisis, precipitated by the unprecedented volatility in energy prices;

Ø5-other environmental trends that have worsened more rapidly than anticipated, including concerns that some ?planetary boundaries? have been exceeded, especially biodiversity.

2. What mechanisms have been put in place in your country to address these challenges: At local level? At the national level?

The National Council on Environment for Sustainable Development, the Commission on Climate Change, the National Plan on Environment for Sustainable Development, the Climate Change Strategy;

A water resources management and development framework, a water and sanitation strategy, a national water and sanitation commission, a water and sustainable development ommission;

Water management units in the Liptako Gourma;

The National Machinery for the Prevention and Management of Food Shortages, the High Authority for Food Security;

5. What factors explain the successful ability to address new and emerging challenges?

¨ X adequate financial resources

¨ X strong government leadership

¨ investment in essential infrastructure

¨ X dedicated government programmes

¨ literacy and awareness among the population

¨ X effective communication systems

¨ X availability of data and technical capacity

¨ speed and adequacy of international support

¨ leadership by international organizations

¨ X south-south cooperation

¨ X regional cooperation.

6. What steps have been taken or are under consideration in your country to enhance these success factors?

The establishment or initiation of the National Council on Environment for Sustainable Development, a national policy of communication for development, the High Authority for Food Security, and strategies related to the three Conventions?

Challenges

7. How can the link between science, education, and policy be strengthened to address the new and emerging challenges, especially those identified above?

By putting in place an appropriate training and communication system.

8. How can international support be harnessed effectively to address these challenges?

Support must be effective and must be administered efficiently and on a lasting basis.

There must be sustained political commitment.

Risks

9. Do the new and emerging challenges pose a fundamental risk to the prospects of economic Growth and development of your country?

Yes.

10. How can the risks to the poor and other vulnerable populations be addressed?

Through:

The allocation of adequate financial resources;

Prompt and effective international support of a technical and financial nature;

Investment in essential infrastructure.

Attachment D

Questionnaire on
Green economy in the context of sustainable development and
poverty eradication
I. Introduction

The concept of the green economy is one of the several closely related constructs that have emerged in recent years to enhance convergence among the three pillars of sustainable development. While the idea has an intrinsic appeal, questions have been asked regarding conceptual clarity, precise definition, and implications for key social and economic goals.

One specific question pertains to the difference between the ideal concept of a ?green economy? and the near- to medium-term implications of the ?transition to a green economy?.

In the literature, most treatments invoke the term in order to outline elements and actions that should normally be described as ?greening of the economy?. The more comprehensive of such treatments seek to unite under a single banner a broad suite of economic policies that are relevant to achieving sustainable development.

The Prepcom also raised a number of questions regarding the impact of the ?transition to a green economy? on other goals, notably macroeconomic outcomes (especially income Growth), trade competitiveness, protectionism, aid conditionality and poverty and livelihoods. In addition, the delegates asked for sharing of experiences, success factors, challenges, and risks in the practical application of some of the recommended instruments.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions and inputs on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to the UNCSD theme ?Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.
Experiences

1. Is there a consensus among policy makers in your country on the meaning of the term ?green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication?? If so, how is it defined? [If relevant, please provide any official publications or analytical studies on the concept of green economy or its operational or social implications, together with a short abstract]

There is no consensus on the subject.

Ø What are the main examples of green economy policies that are currently in place in your country? (e.g., government expenditures on green infrastructure, incentives for private investment in green sectors, subsidy reform, pricing of pollution, public procurement, other)

There are no green economy policies in the Niger.

Ø Which policies, or types of policy, do you consider to be most effective in promoting a green economy and why?

We have no law on a green economy (the concept is new to the Niger).

Ø Are poverty and other possible social impacts explicitly considered in the design of green economy policies? If so, how?

Yes.

2. Are these policies being implemented as part of a coherent green economy, or green Growth, strategy?

3. What are the main perceived benefits of implementing a national green economy strategy?

4. What economic sectors do you consider to be most important to building a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication?

The concept is new to the Niger.

Success Factors

5. What green economy policies would you rate to be most effective?

6. How have those policies contributed to poverty eradication, other specific sustainable development goals?

7. What in your view are the principal reasons for their success? (e.g., availability of relevant institutional or technical capacity, strong political support, broad engagement of business and civil society, international support, other)

8. What steps and actions have proven effective in building political and popular ownership for green economy measures?

Challenges

9. Are there studies for your country that identify success factors, challenges or risks associated with green economy policies identified under Question 1? For each, kindly provide the original article or web link, and a short abstract.

10. Based on all of the above, what is (are) the key outcome(s) you think could emerge from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 with respect to a ?green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication??

The key outcome could be to encourage States to draw up and implement green economy policies and strategies.

Risks

11. What is the relationship of green economy policies to other policies and policy domains (e.g., poverty, Growth, employment, trade, etc.)? Are there cases of conflict and, if so, how have these been addressed?

Attachment E
Questionnaire on
Institutional framework for sustainable development

I. Introduction

Institutional support for sustainable development works horizontally across different domains, agencies, ministries, functional groups, and countries, while the traditional organization of authority and action is vertical, precisely along the lines of the same agencies and ministries and other specialities. So, the challenge is to identify institutional elements that can facilitate integration, on a continued basis, across existing lines of authority and programme structures, without undermining or displacing them.

At the international level, UNCED led to the establishment of three main institutional structures to pursue sustainable development, namely the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) for political leadership, the Inter-Agency Coordination on Sustainable Development (IACSD) for coordination within the UN system, and the High Level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development (HLB) for intellectual guidance. CSD remains the principal policy making institution on sustainable development within the UN system, but the other two structures were discontinued. Since Rio, many UN bodies and international organizations have aligned their work with the principles of sustainable development, which is referred to in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (GA Resolution A/RES/06/1) as ?a key element of the overarching framework of United Nations activities?.

At national levels, early innovations include national sustainable development councils (NSDC), and integrated strategies. The experience with NSDCs needs to be assessed to identify lessons of success as well as failure. The process of developing integrated strategies has taken root, including in the form of national sustainable development strategies (NSDS), but there is a need to review this experience to assess how best the goal of integration can be advanced, and in particular whether the existence of several competing strategy processes (e.g., PRSP, development plan, national conservation strategy) can undermine the very goal of integration.

At local levels, Local Agendas 21 were developed by local institutions and urban municipalities, and again there is a need to draw lessons from this experience.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions and inputs on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to the UNCSD theme ?Institutional framework for sustainable development? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

Experiences

1. Various changes in the global institutional framework for sustainable development have been discussed. In your experience, what is the importance of the following avenues for reform?

¨ X-Strengthen existing institutions

¨ Merge institutions

¨ X-Improve coordination among existing institutions

¨ Establish new institutions

¨ Change mandate(s) of institution(s)

¨ Streamline institutions

Kindly explain your choices, indicating what concrete measures could be considered in this regard.

Operational audits and studies have recommended capacity-building for the existing institutional framework.

A framework for the coordination of activities among the various institutions should be developed.

2. How can the institutional framework ensure effective synergies between the CSD and other existing inter-governmental instruments and processes, including different multilateral agreements, UN programmes and funds, and regional processes?

By building the capacity of the agency in charge of sustainable development so that it can play a leadership role.

3. How can the institutional framework ensure effective coordination and synergies among different agencies and organizations responsible for aspects of sustainable development?

By building the capacity of the agency in charge of sustainable development so that it can play a leadership role and strengthen synergies among the different institutions.

4. Does your country have an active national sustainable development council (NSDC) (or equivalent)? Yes/No Do you think an active NSDC could facilitate your country?s preparations for UNCSD? If so, how?

Yes: the National Council on Environment for Sustainable Development and its branches.

Yes: by organizing meetings to prepare for the participation of the Niger in the Conference.

5. Please provide the name and e-mail contact of the focal point for your country?s NSDC. __________________________________________________________

Amadou Souley Massaoudou

E-mail: biocnedd@intnet.ne; asouleym@yahoo.fr

6. What role has sub-national and local government in your country played in implementing sustainable development since Rio?

Because the devolved and decentralized authorities (regional and local) are the closest to the operational level, they can play an important role (arbitration, supervision, policy, advocacy) in the carrying out of development activities.

7. Since the UNCED (Rio) in 1992, has the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders in national decision-making processes on sustainable development significantly increased? Yes/No Please indicate which of the following forms of engagement of major groups in decision making are commonly used in your country (ranking in order of importance with 1 = most important):

Yes.

¨ 1-participation in policy development

¨ 2-multi-stakeholder consultations for international meetings

¨ 3-partnerships

¨ 4-inclusion in international delegations

¨ 5-public hearings

¨ 6-scientific panels

8. Name the major groups with which your government has had the closest collaboration? For each, briefly describe the main features of the collaboration.

The non-governmental organizations and associations concerned with development; characteristic of such collaboration is help with lobbying, with the search for sources of financing and with participation in various national and international forums on sustainable development.

Success Factors

9. Are there examples, whether in the sustainable development domain or in related policy domains (e.g., MDGs, other), where an effective institutional framework has contributed to significant positive outcomes at national level? international level?

Yes: the Human Development Index, the Millennium Development Goals.

10. How can the lessons from such successes be used to enhance the effectiveness of the institutional framework for sustainable development? Are the lessons relevant to the Commission on Sustainable Development?

11. How can the lessons from such successes be used to enhance the effectiveness of international environmental governance/policy guidance?

12. What in your experience have been the most effective means of strengthening major group and other relevant stakeholders? participation in national sustainable development efforts?

Providing appropriate technical and human resources for them to build their capacity.

Challenges

13. What are the most significant challenges facing international institutions charged with promoting sustainable development?

Capacity-building (training, informing, sensitizing, educating);

Mobilization of financial resources;

Transfer of technology.

14. What are the most significant challenges facing national institutions charged with promoting sustainable development in your country?

Capacity-building (training, informing, sensitizing, educating);

Mobilization of financial resources;

Transfer of technology.

15. What decisions should UNCSD aim to reach on the institutional framework for sustainable development? What are the main risks threatening a successful UNCSD outcome on the institutional framework?

The decisions reached should promote synergies among the different Conventions;

There is a risk of conflicts of interest between the Conventions.

Contact Information of Focal Point/Respondent:

Country: Niger

Name (optional): Mr. Amadou Souley Massaoudou

e-mail (optional):biocnedd@intnet.ne:/asouleym@yahoo.fr

Title:Executive Secretary of the National Council on Environment for Sustainable Development

Affiliated ministry/organization: Office of the Prime Minister

Other ministries/organizations consulted in preparation of questionnaire:

Executive Secretariat of the National Council on Environment for Sustainable Development

Permanent Secretariat of the Accelerated Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy

Executive Secretariat of the Rural Development Strategy

National Statistics Institute

Early Warning and Disaster Management System

Ministry of the Economy and Finance

National Meteorology Department

Water Resources Department

Wildlife, Hunting and Protected Areas Department of the Ministry of Environment and Water Supply

Department of Agriculture

Other stakeholders consulted in the preparation of questionnaire:

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[1] http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/resources/res_publtrends.shtml

[2] Keeping the promise ? a forward-looking review to promote an agreed action agenda to achieve the MDGs by 2015.

Questionnaire for the Member States on

Experiences, Success Factors, Risks and Challenges

with Regard to Objective and Themes of UN Conference on Sustainable Development

(UNCSD)

I. Introduction

1. This Questionnaire has been prepared in response to the decisions of the First Preparatory Committee Meeting (1st Prepcom) held on 17-18 May 2010 which invites the Member States to contribute to the preparatory process, inter-alia, on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks. Contributions and information collected will lead to the preparation of a Synthesis Report which will be discussed at the first intersessional meeting scheduled to take place on 10-11 January 2011.

II. Objective and Themes of UNCSD

2. UNCSD is being organized in pursuance of General Assembly Resolution 64/236. The

Conference will take place in Brazil in 2012 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the

1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg

3. The objective of the Conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and addressing new and emerging challenges. To this end, the focus is on two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development.

III. Questionnaires for Providing Contributions

4. Separate questionnaires have been prepared for the objective and two themes of the

Conference (see Attachments A-E). A list of these questionnaires is provided below.

Ø Questionnaire A: Renewing political commitment for sustainable development

ØQuestionnaire B: Assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development

Ø Questionnaire C: Addressing new and emerging challenges

Ø Questionnaire D: Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication

Each questionnaire is divided into two parts. The first part provides a brief introduction with regard to current thinking on the issues embedded in each objective and theme, while questions for which contributions are sought are presented in part 2. These questions are grouped under experiences, success factors, challenges and risks.

IV. Process for Submitting Contributions

5. There are two ways of submitting contributions, on-line or by email:

Online: Questionnaires will be posted on the UNCSD website in a writeable form. Focal points can request a secure password from the secretariat (UNCSD2012@un.org). Stakeholder will be able to enter information on their secure location, submit completed portions and attachments in real time, while saving incomplete work for later submission.

Ø By email: The questionnaires can be downloaded from the website or obtained electronically from the secretariat (UNCSD2012@un.org), and completed offline. They can be submitted, together with relevant attachments, by e-mail to UNCSD2012@un.org, with a copy to Mr. Arthur de la Cruz: (delacruza@un.org).

6. In addition to solicited inputs through the questionnaires for the preparation of Synthesis Report, the Member States are invited to submit additional material on case studies, best practices, lessons learned, assessments made, specific programmes/ projects implemented, institutions developed which are relevant to the objective and themes of the conference. This information can be submitted electronically, as pdf attachments or weblinks (urls). Electronic copies can be sent to UNCSD2012@un.org, with a copy to delacruza@un.org. If electronic copies are not available, hard copies can be sent by mail to: Mr Arthur de La Cruz, Division for Sustainable Development, Two UN Plaza, 22nd Floor, Room DC2-2200, New York, NY

10017, USA, or by fax: +(1-212) 963-1267.

V. Deadlines for Submission of Inputs through Questionnaires

7. The deadline for the submission of questionnaires is 31 October 2010. All submissions received by that date, together with supporting materials, will be posted on the UNCSD website as requested by the Preparatory Committee.

8. To streamline the process of preparing the Synthesis Report to the 1st intersessional and

2nd Prepcom meetings, the following schedule and deadlines have been established:

Ø 30 August 2010: Questionnaires for different stakeholders finalized

Ø 30 August 2010: Secretariat posts draft questionnaires for comments on the

UNCSD website

Ø 3 September 2010: Deadline for comments on draft questionnaires

Ø 10 September 2010: Final questionnaires posted on the website and placed in e- room

Ø 30 September 2010: Reminder sent to all Stakeholders to alert them of the deadline for submission of inputs

Ø 31 October 2010: Final deadline for contributions through questionnaires

9. In the UNCSD preparatory process, the information management system established by the Secretariat seeks to accomplish two purposes. First, it creates a structure through which all Stakeholders, including those designated by the Prepcom, can provide their contributions in a transparent, coordinated, and organized manner. Second, it seeks to create a structure through which all relevant institutions in the UN system can participate effectively during the process of Report preparation.

10. Separate pages will be established in the information management system for every Member State. The information on the page would be publicly available. Steps will be taken to develop a collaborative management system for the relevant pages, including the assignment of unique passwords to the respective Stakeholders for secured access and webpage management.

VII. Essential Background Materials

11. The following have been placed on the UNCSD website to assist Stakeholders in providing their contributions and completing the Questionnaires:

The objective of UNCSD is to renew political support for sustainable development, assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and addressing new and emerging challenges.

The issue of renewed political commitment will need to be addressed in the longer term context of how agreement among governments and other stakeholders at UNCSD could help accelerate progress towards, inter alia: (i) the demographic goal of stabilizing the global population; (ii) the developmental goal of extending the benefits of development equitably to all segments of global society; and (iii) the decoupling goal of ensuring that the use of materials and generation of wastes is within the regenerative and absorptive capacities of the planet.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to the UNCSD objective ?Renewing Political Commitment to Sustainable Development? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

Experiences

1. Are there objective ways of measuring political commitment? What are the relevant indicators? Which indicators are most useful from your perspective? (e.g., New legislation enacted, Policy announcements, Budgetary allocation and support, Prominence of relevant institutions, Level of media interest, etc.)

2.Based if possible on these indicators, how would you evaluate the national government?s political commitment today to sustainable development compared to 1992? How would you evaluate the political commitment of the international community compared to 1992?

4. Are there specific sectors or areas (e.g., water, energy, biodiversity, other) where national political commitment to achieve sustainable development goals has been especially strong? If so, what factors explain that commitment?

8. Among your country?s senior national policy makers, would you say the predominant view of the three pillars of sustainable development is that: there are difficult trade-offs among them? _oui they are strongly complementary? Please briefly elaborate on your answer.

Assessing the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development

I. Introduction

1. Agenda 21 (A21) is a comprehensive and detailed programme for sustainable development, adopted by consensus at UNCED in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. JPOI was adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in 2002. It builds upon A21 by concentrating attention on implementation, especially by introducing additional ways of reducing fragmentation and integrating all three dimensions of sustainable development into policy clusters, which in turn laid the foundation for the subsequent programme of work of the CSD.

2. An important, and perhaps the core, framework for assessing progress is the extent to which economic, social, and environmental goals (the ?three pillars? of sustainable development) begin to converge. Indeed, the consistent message of sustainable development is that these represent not three separate goals but a single integrated one. The goal, and indeed the ultimate test, of sustainable development is the convergence among the three trajectories of economic Growth, social development, and environmental protection. In this regard, UNCSD provides an important opportunity to assess what has worked, and what has not.

3. Some information on trends is available from the history of national reporting on sustainable development, including for the Commission on Sustainable Development and in various Trends in Sustainable Development reports on the DSD website1 . On poverty and the social pillar in particular, information on MDG indicators has been tracked since 1990 and has been described in detail in the Secretary-General?s report for the high-level event on the MDGs to take place in September 2010.2

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to GA Resolution 64/236?s call for ?assessing the progress to date and remaining gaps in implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

2 Keeping the promise ? a forward-looking review to promote an agreed action agenda to achieve the MDGs by

2015.

1. What indicators or information on sustainable development have proven to be most useful for assessing gaps and progress towards sustainable development? Please rank in order of importance 1 = most important.. Please also attach or provide a link to relevant statistical databases.

¨ 4-Information-related indicators (e.g., development of analytical and assessment tools, collection of data, investment in research)

¨ Other (please specify)

3. Based as far as possible on these indicators, please provide an assessment of the progress made towards sustainable development over the past 18 years (1992-2010), (a) at the level of your country (where applicable) and (b) globally. Please attach any relevant technical studies or policy analyses. For each input, kindly provide the original article or url, and enter a short abstract.

Success Factors

4. What factors explain progress in implementation? Please rank in order of importance.

Réponse 4:

¨ 1-financial support from international sources

¨ 2-use of integrated strategies

¨ 3-investment in technical and institutional capacity

¨ 4-generalized economic Growth and prosperity

¨ other; please specify:

5. Has your government introduced integrated planning and decision making for sustainable development? If so, under what title (NSDS, PRSP, Five Year Plan, NCS or NEAP, other)? What are the lessons from this experience?

Ø Other environmental trends that have worsened more rapidly than anticipated, including concerns that some ?planetary boundaries? have been exceeded, especially biodiversity

Ø Degradation of marine ecosystems

Ø Inefficient and wasteful patterns of consumption and production, and

Ø A succession of disasters.

All countries face these challenges, but they differ widely in their ability to cope with the risks and shocks inherent in them. Challenges have been exacerbated in developing countries by poverty, competition for scarce resources, the rapid pace of rural/urban migration, and the concomitant challenges to provide food, infrastructure and access to basic health, water and energy services.

The sustainable development challenge posed by climate change illustrates well the importance of a holistic response from the international community.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions and inputs on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to GA Resolution 64/236?s call for ?Addressing new and emerging challenges? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

Experiences

1. What five new and emerging challenges are likely to affect most significantly your country?s prospects for sustainable development in the coming decade? Please rank in order of importance.

Reponse1

1-Rising water scarcity and increased desertification

2-Climate change, as new evidence has emerged to suggest that the danger is a more imminent one than previously thought;

3-A succession of disasters;

4-Energy crisis, precipitated by the unprecedented volatility in energy prices;

5-Other environmental trends that have worsened more rapidly than anticipated, including concerns that some ?planetary boundaries? have been exceeded, especially biodiversity .

2. What mechanisms have been put in place in your country to address these challenges: At local level? At the national level?

Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication

I. Introduction

The concept of the green economy is one of the several closely related constructs that have emerged in recent years to enhance convergence among the three pillars of sustainable development. While the idea has an intrinsic appeal, questions have been asked regarding conceptual clarity, precise definition, and implications for key social and economic goals.

One specific question pertains to the difference between the ideal concept of a ?green economy? and the near- to medium-term implications of the ?transition to a green economy?.

In the literature, most treatments invoke the term in order to outline elements and actions that should normally be described as ?greening of the economy?. The more comprehensive of such treatments seek to unite under a single banner a broad suite of economic policies that are relevant to achieving sustainable development.

The Prepcom also raised a number of questions regarding the impact of the ?transition to a green economy? on other goals, notably macroeconomic outcomes (especially income Growth), trade competitiveness, protectionism, aid conditionality and poverty and livelihoods. In addition, the delegates asked for sharing of experiences, success factors, challenges, and risks in the practical application of some of the recommended instruments.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions and inputs on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to the UNCSD theme ?Green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

Experiences

1. Is there a consensus among policy makers in your country on the meaning of the term ?green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication?? If so, how is it defined? [If relevant, please provide any official publications or analytical

studies on the concept of green economy or its operational or social implications, together with a short abstract]

Réponse 1: Non

ØWhat are the main examples of green economy policies that are currently in place in your country? (e.g., government expenditures on green infrastructure, incentives for private investment in green sectors, subsidy reform, pricing of pollution, public procurement, other)

Réponse:

Pas d?exemple

ØWhich policies, or types of policy, do you consider to be most effective in promoting a green economy and why?

Réponse:

Pas de loi (nouveau concept au Niger);

ØAre poverty and other possible social impacts explicitly considered in the design of green economy policies? If so, how?

Réponse : Oui

2. Are these policies being implemented as part of a coherent green economy, or green Growth, strategy?

3. What are the main perceived benefits of implementing a national green economy strategy?

4. What economic sectors do you consider to be most important to building a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication?

Concept nouveau au Niger

Success Factors

5. What green economy policies would you rate to be most effective?

6. How have those policies contributed to poverty eradication, other specific sustainable development goals?

7. What in your view are the principal reasons for their success? (e.g., availability of relevant institutional or technical capacity, strong political support, broad engagement of business and civil society, international support, other)

8. What steps and actions have proven effective in building political and popular ownership for green economy measures?

Challenges

9. Are there studies for your country that identify success factors, challenges or risks associated with green economy policies identified under Question 1? For each, kindly provide the original article or web link, and a short abstract.

10. Based on all of the above, what is (are) the key outcome(s) you think could emerge from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 with respect to a ?green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication??

11. What is the relationship of green economy policies to other policies and policy domains (e.g., poverty, Growth, employment, trade, etc.)? Are there cases of conflict and, if so, how have these been addressed?

Attachment E

Questionnaire on

Institutional framework for sustainable development

I. Introduction

Institutional support for sustainable development works horizontally across different domains, agencies, ministries, functional groups, and countries, while the traditional organization of authority and action is vertical, precisely along the lines of the same agencies and ministries and other specialities. So, the challenge is to identify institutional elements that can facilitate integration, on a continued basis, across existing lines of authority and programme structures, without undermining or displacing them.

At the international level, UNCED led to the establishment of three main institutional structures to pursue sustainable development, namely the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) for political leadership, the Inter-Agency Coordination on Sustainable Development (IACSD) for coordination within the UN system, and the High Level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development (HLB) for intellectual guidance. CSD remains the principal policy making institution on sustainable development within the UN system, but the other two structures were discontinued. Since Rio, many UN bodies and international organizations have aligned their work with the principles of sustainable development, which is referred to in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (GA Resolution A/RES/06/1) as ?a key element of the overarching framework of United Nations activities?.

At national levels, early innovations include national sustainable development councils (NSDC), and integrated strategies. The experience with NSDCs needs to be assessed to identify lessons of success as well as failure. The process of developing integrated strategies has taken root, including in the form of national sustainable development strategies (NSDS), but there is a need to review this experience to assess how best the goal of integration can be advanced, and in particular whether the existence of several competing strategy processes (e.g., PRSP, development plan, national conservation strategy) can undermine the very goal of integration.

At local levels, Local Agendas 21 were developed by local institutions and urban municipalities, and again there is a need to draw lessons from this experience.

II. Questionnaire

Member States are invited to provide contributions and inputs on experiences, success factors, challenges and risks pertaining to the UNCSD theme ?Institutional framework for sustainable development? in response to the following questions which have been developed based on the discussions which took place at the first Prepcom.

Experiences

1. Various changes in the global institutional framework for sustainable development have been discussed. In your experience, what is the importance of the following avenues for reform?

Réponse 1

¨ X- Strengthen existing institutions

¨ Merge institutions

¨ X-Improve coordination among existing institutions

¨ Establish new institutions

¨ Change mandate(s) of institution(s)

¨ Streamline institutions

Kindly explain your choices, indicating what concrete measures could be considered in this regard.

2. How can the institutional framework ensure effective synergies between the CSD and other existing inter-governmental instruments and processes, including different multilateral agreements, UN programmes and funds, and regional processes?

7. Since the UNCED (Rio) in 1992, has the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders in national decision-making processes on sustainable development significantly increased? Yes/No Please indicate which of the following forms of engagement of major groups in decision making are commonly used in your country (ranking in order of importance with 1 = most important):

Réponse7: Oui

¨ 1 participation in policy development

¨ 2 multi-stakeholder consultations for international meetings

¨ 3 partnerships

¨ 4 inclusion in international delegations

¨ 5 public hearings

¨ 6 scientific panels

8. Name the major groups with which your government has had the closest collaboration?

9. Are there examples, whether in the sustainable development domain or in related policy domains (e.g., MDGs, other), where an effective institutional framework has contributed to significant positive outcomes at national level? international level?

Réponse 9:

Oui; l?IDH, les OMD.

10. How can the lessons from such successes be used to enhance the effectiveness of the institutional framework for sustainable development? Are the lessons relevant to the Commission on Sustainable Development?

11. How can the lessons from such successes be used to enhance the effectiveness of international environmental governance/policy guidance?

12. What in your experience have been the most effective means of strengthening major group and other relevant stakeholders? participation in national sustainable development efforts?